Distributor Installation at TDC
Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 5,958
Likes: 105
From: Houston
I would pull the dist and move the rotor clock wise just one tooth to give you a little more advance option. You never really run retarded on the timing and from what I am seeing it looks like you have more adjustment towards retarding the timing than you do for advancing the timing.
So if it was me I would move the dist one tooth more advance just to give you a little more adjustment towards advance.
So if it was me I would move the dist one tooth more advance just to give you a little more adjustment towards advance.
Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 5,958
Likes: 105
From: Houston
The advice may be bad in your opinion or even some others, however, it is not bad advice, in fact, the opposite.
And it is not pointless unnecessary work to those that do the work for the love and or passion and or education.
As for being above the OP's skill level, that's up to the OP to decide, not you, I or anyone else. That's akin to calling them stupid.
How does one raise their skill level ... By being challenged, not by getting half the info and no understanding.
Confusion is a state of mind that can be overcome by understanding!
-Enjoy
fh : )_~
And it is not pointless unnecessary work to those that do the work for the love and or passion and or education.
As for being above the OP's skill level, that's up to the OP to decide, not you, I or anyone else. That's akin to calling them stupid.
How does one raise their skill level ... By being challenged, not by getting half the info and no understanding.
Confusion is a state of mind that can be overcome by understanding!
-Enjoy
fh : )_~
First off the advice provided being bad is not my opinion. Simply telling someone to set timing around 36 degrees without ensuring they know if that is initial or total timing is bad advice. What happens if he comes back in here saying he cant get 36 degrees of advance when trying to time the engine off the bat.
Now skill level, sure I do not know his skill level but from what I have read I would say he is in the learning stages especially if he is using a home made piston stop to install a dist in a stock engine. You provided bad advice yet again by trying to have him do things that only would be done to a race engine on setup.
My advice to him how ever is to forget the tape and use a wire brush and clean the balancer the marks are there they are not very deep but I have yet to see one rusted away.
But in the end I am not the one trying to advise someone to go to race engine lengths just to install a dist in a stock engine. That is just an insane thing to do.
Methanoholic
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 6,442
Likes: 8
From: Maine (NorCal Native)
What I see and what you state don't correlate ...
The first pic looks clocked all the way counter clockwise, not clockwise.
The first picture is where the rotor should be pointing ... But if you are clocked all the way to the end of your adjustable range, then you need to pull the distributor up just enough to rotate the distributor shaft (rotor) 1 tooth.
The second picture says that the distributor needs to be set over 1 tooth clockwise.
-Enjoy
fh : )_~
The first pic looks clocked all the way counter clockwise, not clockwise.
The first picture is where the rotor should be pointing ... But if you are clocked all the way to the end of your adjustable range, then you need to pull the distributor up just enough to rotate the distributor shaft (rotor) 1 tooth.
The second picture says that the distributor needs to be set over 1 tooth clockwise.
-Enjoy
fh : )_~
Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 5,958
Likes: 105
From: Houston
What I see and what you state don't correlate ...
The first pic looks clocked all the way counter clockwise, not clockwise.
The first picture is where the rotor should be pointing ... But if you are clocked all the way to the end of your adjustable range, then you need to pull the distributor up just enough to rotate the distributor shaft (rotor) 1 tooth.
The second picture says that the distributor needs to be set over 1 tooth clockwise.
-Enjoy
fh : )_~
The first pic looks clocked all the way counter clockwise, not clockwise.
The first picture is where the rotor should be pointing ... But if you are clocked all the way to the end of your adjustable range, then you need to pull the distributor up just enough to rotate the distributor shaft (rotor) 1 tooth.
The second picture says that the distributor needs to be set over 1 tooth clockwise.
-Enjoy
fh : )_~
Methanoholic
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 6,442
Likes: 8
From: Maine (NorCal Native)
Told myself I would not comment on this but after seeing this post a second time I just have to say something on this.
First off the advice provided being bad is not my opinion. Simply telling someone to set timing around 36 degrees without ensuring they know if that is initial or total timing is bad advice. What happens if he comes back in here saying he cant get 36 degrees of advance when trying to time the engine off the bat.
Now skill level, sure I do not know his skill level but from what I have read I would say he is in the learning stages especially if he is using a home made piston stop to install a dist in a stock engine. You provided bad advice yet again by trying to have him do things that only would be done to a race engine on setup.
My advice to him how ever is to forget the tape and use a wire brush and clean the balancer the marks are there they are not very deep but I have yet to see one rusted away.
But in the end I am not the one trying to advise someone to go to race engine lengths just to install a dist in a stock engine. That is just an insane thing to do.
First off the advice provided being bad is not my opinion. Simply telling someone to set timing around 36 degrees without ensuring they know if that is initial or total timing is bad advice. What happens if he comes back in here saying he cant get 36 degrees of advance when trying to time the engine off the bat.
Now skill level, sure I do not know his skill level but from what I have read I would say he is in the learning stages especially if he is using a home made piston stop to install a dist in a stock engine. You provided bad advice yet again by trying to have him do things that only would be done to a race engine on setup.
My advice to him how ever is to forget the tape and use a wire brush and clean the balancer the marks are there they are not very deep but I have yet to see one rusted away.
But in the end I am not the one trying to advise someone to go to race engine lengths just to install a dist in a stock engine. That is just an insane thing to do.
First off, I have never stated to set it to 36 degrees or any other number ... I have intentionally always stated to set it to X!
As for bad advice, that is your opinion and possibly others ... Not everyone's!
You are so wrapped up in trying to discredit me to make yourself look good you are missing obvious facts.
-Enjoy
fh : )_~
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Moderator
Joined: Nov 2007
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From: Denver Metro Area, CO
Without reading through all of this...
hharris8...
With the crankshaft oriented so that the #1 cylinder is at TDC on the compression stroke (and the balancer should indicate 0°)...
The distributor rotor needs to be pointing directly at whichever spark plug wire connector on the cap you are going to use as your #1 cylinder (the rest of the firing order follows along in a counter-clockwise fashion).
Once installed, you should be able to turn the distributor both directions for final adjustments.
hharris8...
With the crankshaft oriented so that the #1 cylinder is at TDC on the compression stroke (and the balancer should indicate 0°)...
The distributor rotor needs to be pointing directly at whichever spark plug wire connector on the cap you are going to use as your #1 cylinder (the rest of the firing order follows along in a counter-clockwise fashion).
Once installed, you should be able to turn the distributor both directions for final adjustments.
Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 5,958
Likes: 105
From: Houston
Yes, you watch the #1 cylinder valve rockers on the valve side, as you rotate the motor clockwise (looking at the front of the motor), you'll see them go down as they open, up as they close.
When the #1 cylinder intake valve goes down it's opening, when it starts coming up it's closing, as soon as it's up all the way that cylinder is coming up on the compression stroke.
Or feel for compression in #1 spark plug hole when turning the motor.
At that point continue to rotate to your X degrees timing mark ... Unfortunately I do not know what the static timing (X) number is for that motor.
Hopefully someone that knows what the static timing should be will chime in ... If not you're forced to guess and start it, then set the timing with a light.
I suspect it's someplace between 32 and 38 degrees BTDC, but that's a guess for me on that motor.
I do not know if the timing light will fire just by turning the distributor housing as I have written to do the initial base ignition timing with an LED test light. If it fires at the spark plug it should work ...
But it should work with the motor running.
I use a Craftsman 2194, love this light, had it for over 30 years.
Linear Xenon flash tube with Fresnel lens ... Bright enough to see in daylight.
Direct reading advance scale/dial.
Something I forgot to add to my write up is that you need to ensure you have all your spark plugs installed and hooked up when rotating the distributor with power on. I don't know if it will hurt the electronics on that motor or not, so just ensure all plugs are in and hooked up.
-Enjoy
fh : )_~
When the #1 cylinder intake valve goes down it's opening, when it starts coming up it's closing, as soon as it's up all the way that cylinder is coming up on the compression stroke.
Or feel for compression in #1 spark plug hole when turning the motor.
At that point continue to rotate to your X degrees timing mark ... Unfortunately I do not know what the static timing (X) number is for that motor.
Hopefully someone that knows what the static timing should be will chime in ... If not you're forced to guess and start it, then set the timing with a light.
I suspect it's someplace between 32 and 38 degrees BTDC, but that's a guess for me on that motor.
I do not know if the timing light will fire just by turning the distributor housing as I have written to do the initial base ignition timing with an LED test light. If it fires at the spark plug it should work ...
But it should work with the motor running.
I use a Craftsman 2194, love this light, had it for over 30 years.
Linear Xenon flash tube with Fresnel lens ... Bright enough to see in daylight.
Direct reading advance scale/dial.
Something I forgot to add to my write up is that you need to ensure you have all your spark plugs installed and hooked up when rotating the distributor with power on. I don't know if it will hurt the electronics on that motor or not, so just ensure all plugs are in and hooked up.
-Enjoy
fh : )_~
Then why did you ... You're only digging yourself in deeper!
First off, I have never stated to set it to 36 degrees or any other number ... I have intentionally always stated to set it to X!
As for bad advice, that is your opinion and possibly others ... Not everyone's!
Rusty, put that in your pipe and smoke it!
You are so wrapped up in trying to discredit me to make yourself look good you are missing obvious facts.
-Enjoy
fh : )_~
First off, I have never stated to set it to 36 degrees or any other number ... I have intentionally always stated to set it to X!
As for bad advice, that is your opinion and possibly others ... Not everyone's!
Rusty, put that in your pipe and smoke it!
You are so wrapped up in trying to discredit me to make yourself look good you are missing obvious facts.
-Enjoy
fh : )_~
As far as digging myself deeper I do not care. The only thing I care about is that people that are learning are presented with correct information and not false information. I know how hard it is for some one learning on their own especially when you go asking for help on forums like this. If I can take and point out bad advise I will because that will prevent him from having the same headaches Ive had to deal with. Ive seen it all from people not answering your question or you list what you've tried and people still recommend trying what you've already tried only for them to lose their minds and start insulting you when you tell them you've already tried that. So don't expect an apology and don't believe for a second that I am looking for a reason to discredit you. You do that on your own first with telling this guy how to set up his dist on a stock engine like its a race engine down to implying to set his timing between 32 and 38 degrees which really would screw up his engine.
Methanoholic
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 6,442
Likes: 8
From: Maine (NorCal Native)
Take a look at a comment I quoted from you the other day you made I highlighted in red. You stated a degree to set the timing to which was 32 - 38 degrees. There is no way in hell he can properly set timing at 32 - 38 degrees timing and you implied that is initial timing which I am assuming you ment total timing. This is the bad advise I am talking about that you just cant admit to.
As far as digging myself deeper I do not care. The only thing I care about is that people that are learning are presented with correct information and not false information. I know how hard it is for some one learning on their own especially when you go asking for help on forums like this. If I can take and point out bad advise I will because that will prevent him from having the same headaches Ive had to deal with. Ive seen it all from people not answering your question or you list what you've tried and people still recommend trying what you've already tried only for them to lose their minds and start insulting you when you tell them you've already tried that. So don't expect an apology and don't believe for a second that I am looking for a reason to discredit you. You do that on your own first with telling this guy how to set up his dist on a stock engine like its a race engine down to implying to set his timing between 32 and 38 degrees which really would screw up his engine.
As far as digging myself deeper I do not care. The only thing I care about is that people that are learning are presented with correct information and not false information. I know how hard it is for some one learning on their own especially when you go asking for help on forums like this. If I can take and point out bad advise I will because that will prevent him from having the same headaches Ive had to deal with. Ive seen it all from people not answering your question or you list what you've tried and people still recommend trying what you've already tried only for them to lose their minds and start insulting you when you tell them you've already tried that. So don't expect an apology and don't believe for a second that I am looking for a reason to discredit you. You do that on your own first with telling this guy how to set up his dist on a stock engine like its a race engine down to implying to set his timing between 32 and 38 degrees which really would screw up his engine.
: to form an opinion or give an answer about something when you do not know much or anything about it
Source: Merriam-Webster's Learner's Dictionary
-Enjoy
fh : )_~
Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 5,958
Likes: 105
From: Houston
Well hate to say this but if you guess a stock engine will run at 32 and 38 degrees initial then you shouldn't even be giving advise on engines let alone building engines. Truth of the matter every engine ive seen specs for stock from the '50s up through the '80s ranged between 4* BTDC initial on up to 12* BTDC.
Even though that is a guess that is a wild guess that should have been kept to yourself because that is so far off that it is quite scary.
Even though that is a guess that is a wild guess that should have been kept to yourself because that is so far off that it is quite scary.